Compiled by Tonie Fitzgerald.
In order for fruit to develop, pollination must occur at blossom time. Pollination is the transfer of
pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part of the flower. Some types of fruit trees may
be pollinated with their own pollen and are considered self-fruitful or self-pollinating. Other types of
trees require pollen from a different variety of the same type of tree and are considered self-unfruitful.
The transfer of pollen from one variety to a different variety of the same type of tree is called cross-pollination. Cross-pollination is essential for apples, pears, most sweet cherries, and most Japanese
plums. Cross-pollination is not essential, but does improve the number of fruit that form on
apricots, European plums/prunes, tart cherries, peaches and nectarines.